Saudi rejects Turkey’s call to extradite Khashoggi killers

Saudi has rejected the call made by Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extradite the 18 Saudis wanted for the murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi, as Washington warned the crisis risked destabilizing the Middle East.

Saudi foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said;

“The individuals are Saudi nationals. They’re detained in Saudi Arabia, and the investigation is in Saudi Arabia, and they will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia”

He was responding to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who on Friday renewed his call for the 18 men to be extradited for trial in Turkey.

After weeks of denials, Riyadh has sought to draw a line under the crisis with an investigation.

But US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, who was also addressing the Manama forum, warned that “the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in a diplomatic facility must concern us all greatly”.

He also noted that “failure of any nation to adhere to international norms and the rule of law undermines regional stability at a time when it is needed most.”